The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ruellia plant, botanically known as Ruellia simplex, hereinafter referred to by the name ‘R12-2-1’.
Ruellias (also referred to as Ruellia plants) are flowering plants in the acanthus family (Acanthaceae). Flowers are typically trumpet shaped and blue, purple, pink, or white in color. Ruellia plants are evergreen perennials growing to about three feet tall with groups of stalks and lance-shaped leaves of about six to 12 inches long.
The new Ruellia cultivar ‘R12-2-1’ is a tetraploid individual that originated from a manual hybridization conducted on Feb. 16, 2012 in Gainesville, Fla., between breeding lines ‘RU64’×‘37-3-1-6’. ‘RU64’ is a white-flowered, tetraploid plant. ‘37-3-6-1’ is a tetraploid plant with white flowers and purple corolla tube obtained from selfing clone ‘37-3-6’. ‘37-3-6’ clone is a seedling of ‘RU15’, which is a diploid plant with white flowers and purple corolla tube. The apical meristem of ‘37-3-6’ was treated with three applications of a 50 μM oryzalin solution every 12 hours.
‘R12-2-1’ has been reproduced asexually for over three years through vegetative cuttings at the Environmental Horticulture Research Greenhouses, located at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. 32611 and has been shown to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have not been applied for. ‘R12-2-1’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.